Phase I/II Archaeological and Metal Detector Survey of the Proposed SR 92 Improvements in the Vicinity of Pickett's Mill Battlefield, Cobb and Paulding Counties, Georgia

From December 3, 2013 to January 24, 2014, EPEI conducted a Phase I/II archaeological and metal detector survey along a portion of State Route (SR) 92, in Cobb and Paulding counties, from the SR 92/SR 381/Dallas Acworth Highway and County Road (CR) 473/Cedarcrest Road (hereafter CR 473) intersection, in the north, to SR 120/Marietta Highway (hereafter SR 120), in the south (Figure 1.1). This proposed Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) project would consist of the widening and reconstruction of SR 92 from the intersection with SR 120 and extend northward to the SR 92/SR 381/Dallas Acworth Highway and CR 473 intersection. Currently, SR 92 consists of two 3.7 meter (12 foot) travel lanes (one in each direction) with auxiliary left and right turn lanes intermittent throughout the project corridor. The proposed typical section would consist of four 3.7 meter (12 foot) travel lanes with a 6.1 meter (20 foot) raised median and 4.9 meter (16 foot) urban shoulders on either side of the roadway. Existing right-of-way (ROW) varies between approximately 24.4 to 30.5 meters (80 to 100 feet). The total proposed survey area is roughly 12.5 kilometers (7.8 miles) in length.

The survey area corresponds to plans received from Atkins North America, Inc. in October 2012. EPEI investigated the area of potential effect (APE), that area consisting of all required ROW, plus an additional 30 meter (100 feet) expanded survey corridor (ESC). The combined APE and ESC are herein referred to as the survey area. The Phase I/II archaeological and metal detector survey was carried out in accordance with the research design, written by EPEI in coordination with GDOT in advance to obtain the permit to conduct investigations on Pickett’s Mill Battlefield State Historic Site property (Elliott and Lewis 2013). All fieldwork was completed in a manner consistent with GDOT’s Environmental Procedures Manual (EPM) and with guidelines set forth by the Georgia Council of Professional Archaeologists (GCPA).

Fieldwork on land owned by the State of Georgia as part of the Pickett’s Mill Battlefield State Historic Site was coordinated with representatives of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Parks, Recreation, and Historic Sites, and Historic Preservation Division (HPD). A permit was obtained from the Georgia State Archaeologist prior to the commencement of work on stateowned land and all archaeological work conducted on such property was coordinated with appropriate individuals.

Fieldwork for this project was carried out in stages. Prior to systematic survey, EPEI archaeologists completed a preliminary reconnaissance survey of a section of the survey area determined to have a high probability for Civil War battlefield features and artifact deposits. Reconnaissance survey consisted of walkover survey and metal detecting. Suspected battlefield features were mapped using handheld Global Positioning Systems (GPS) devices and all suspected features were investigated via metal detector sweep. In consultation with GDOT, several locations were investigated further with cross-section trenches. The results of this work were reported in a Preliminary Results memorandum, which was submitted to GDOT in March 2013.

The only previously recorded site in the survey area, Pickett’s Mill Battlefield, was investigated via systematic close interval shovel testing and systematic metal detecting survey. The battlefield was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1973. Accordingly, Civil War related artifacts found within the Potential Battlefield Zone, as defined in the Research Design (Elliott and Lewis 2013), were grouped into loci that are considered to be a part of the Pickett’s Mill Battlefield archaeological site, 9PA548/9CO760 (defined herein), which encompasses an area larger than the original NRHP-listed Pickett’s Mill Battlefield Site. A total of nine battlefield loci were investigated via shovel testing and metal detector sweep. Artifacts recovered from this work include fired, dropped, and impacted lead bullets, artillery shell fragments, and uniform hardware. The military landscape within the survey area, including all battlefield features and loci, contribute to the overall eligibility of Pickett’s Mill Battlefield, 9PA548/9CO760, under Criterion D in that they add valuable context and additional perspective to Pickett’s Mill Battlefield.

During Phase I/II archaeological and metal detector survey, a total of seven new sites were discovered, eight isolates were recorded, and nine battlefield loci within Pickett’s Mill Battlefield were discovered. Additionally, an Historic period cemetery, Antioch Cemetery, was delineated and documented. Site 9CO743 is an artifact scatter within the ESC of the project area that dates to an unspecified period of the Precontact era. The site was not delineated fully and overall NRHP eligibility is unknown, with the portion within the APE lacking significant data potential and therefore there will be no adverse effects to the site. Site 9PA509 is a lithic scatter dating to an unspecified period of the Precontact era and an artifact scatter dating to the middle twentieth century of the Historic period. This site is situated in both the APE and ESC of the survey area and is of unknown eligibility. The portion of site 9PA509 within the survey area lacks significant data potential and therefore there will be no adverse effects to the site. Site 9PA510 is a lithic scatter dating to at least the Middle Archaic period of the Precontact era. Located in both the APE and ESC of the survey area, this site is recommended ineligible for the NRHP under Criterion D. Therefore, there will be no adverse effects to the site. Site 9PA511 is an Historic period artifact scatter that dates to the twentieth century. This site is situated within the ESC and is of unknown eligibility, with the portion in the survey area lacking significant data potential and therefore there will be no adverse effects to the site. Site 9PA512 is a lithic scatter contained within the APE that dates to an unspecified period of the Precontact era. This site is of recommended ineligible for the NRHP under Criterion D, with the portion in the survey area lacking significant data potential. Therefore there will be no adverse effects to the site. Site 9PA513 is an artifact scatter and concrete well in both the APE and ESC that dates to the early and middle twentieth century. The site could not be delineated fully due to encountering the survey limits and overall eligibility is unknown. However, the examined portion of site 9PA513 in the survey area lacks significant data potential and therefore there will be no adverse effects to the site. Site 9PA514 is a concrete well and artifact scatter that dates to the early and middle twentieth century. Situated in both the APE and ESC of the survey area, 9PA514 is ineligible for the NRHP under Criterion D. Antioch Cemetery, 9PA508, was also investigated during EPEI’s Phase I survey. This cemetery is located within the ESC of the survey area and has been evaluated by GDOT historian Madeline White. Her assessment recommended that Antioch Cemetery was eligible for the NRHP under Criterion A, but ineligible under Criteria B and C. As no excavations were carried out within the cemetery, the ability for Antioch Cemetery to yield, or have the potential to yield, additional information significant to the history of the region is not known. Consequently, EPEI recommends Antioch Cemetery as of unknown NRHP eligibility, under Criterion D.